Monthly Archives: August 2009

Two of the South Bay’s top college football recruits continue to rack up the awards.

Reigning
Daily Breeze Player of the Year Robert Woods of Serra and Narbonne
defensive back Sean Parker have both been named to the Maxpreps
Preseason All-State team.

Woods, who recently gave a non-binding verbal commitment to USC, had
1,378 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns with 81 catches last season for
Serra, the CIF Southern Section Northwest Division finalist.Parker, who has received at least 28 scholarship offers, had
five interceptions last season to lead Narbonne to the Marine League
title and to the L.A. City Section co-title with San Pedro. He can
basically write his ticket to college and will be a leader for Narbonne.

PHOTO BY BRAD GRAVERSON: Ashleigh Gideon, shown here in a file photo, helped El Camino sweep Fullerton in the season opener for both teams.

Two-time defending state champion El Camino College shook
off some early-season jitters and rallied for a 25-19, 26-24, 27-25
nonconference women’s volleyball victory Friday at Fullerton in a season opener
between two top programs.

El Camino faced deficits in each game before showing the
same fighting spirit that characterized its run to consecutive state titles out
of the loser’s bracket.

El Camino even fought off four game-points against
Fullerton, which finished the season ranked No. 5 last season.

“Both teams were pretty nervous,” El Camino coach Le Valley
Pattison said. “We looked a little shaky in the beginning, but we steadied out.
It was definitely a case of first-match nerves.

“But it was fun to fun to see the girls turn it around and
win after they put themselves in big holes.”

Kiley Tamblyn (South Torrance) led a strong passing game
with 27 digs. Deja Dickerson (St. Monica) contributed seven kills and two
blocks, and Donella DiDomenico (Bishop Montgomery) was strong in her setting
debut with 12 digs and 32 assists.

“We were down six or seven points each game. That was a
little weird,” Pattison said. “I
think we were a little tentative with our hitting. Then Sarah Prather turned it
up a bit, and that allowed Ashleigh to get more into a groove and feel
comfortable.

“It was a matter of adjusting to new teammates and some
timing issues. The more they play together, the better they’re going to be.”

Uh oh, the football season is still over a week away, and Gardena could already be in trouble.

Quarterback Keshaun Malone, expected to be the leader of new
coach Ed Lalau’s rebuilding project at Gardena, sustained a left ankle injury
at practice Wednesday that has the Panthers holding their breath.

“He can’t even stand on it,” Lalau said.

Lalau has said that Malone, also a standout linebacker, will
almost certainly miss Gardena’s season opener at Charter Oak on Sept. 4.

With backup quarterback Dezden Petty already banged up with
a knee injury, Lalau said he will likely turn to receiver Emanuel Oseguera to
take over at quarterback.

“We decided to put our most athletic person back there,”
Lalau said.

Malone was the undisputed leader for Gardena last season,
the bright spot of a 2-8 season. He threw for 905 yards and 7 TDs with 6 INTs
last season while adding a team-leading 392 rushing yards and seven more
touchdowns.

The extent of Malone’s injury is unknown, and he is expected to make a trip to
the doctor soon.

Yet the sight of a hobbled Malone was a blow for Gardena.

“We were kind of building this team around him,” Lalau said.
“For him to go down, it’s like, ‘Oh man.’ We’ve got a couple other
quarterbacks, but they have totally different styles. We’re scrambling right
now, a week before the season.